Women's Movement in Japan

It's difficult to answer if there is a women's movement in Japan. The problem is that their starting point is so different from that of western countries, and especially the United States. Many Japanese and some western observers say that Japanese women have more equality than people think. To support this they point out that Japan was once a matriarchal society and that today Japanese women control the household finances.

Women have legally equal rights in Japan. But practically there's still a long way to go. Women have made progress in recent years. They're no longer compelled to retire when they get married or reach their thirties, for example.

For Japan that's progress. It's also a question of expectations. They have some professional women and some who have made it in the so-called "man's world." But most Japanese women still see their goal as getting married and raising a family.